Google On The Prowl

Takeover talk hit a fever pitch on Thursday after Google CEO Eric Schmidt said he expects to make one acquisition a month!

Okay, he said one small acquisition a month – but nonetheless that’s still a lot of acquiring.

"It's clear that the worst is behind us," Schmidt says. "What we see at Google is some level of improvement and what is more important is we see it not just in the United States but outside the United States," he says.

It appears Schmidt is reasonably optimistic about the economy and about to go shopping. But is there a way for you to profit?

There’s no better expert to consult for insights than top ranked Internet analyst Mark Mahaney of Citi.

Mahaney: I’d be very surprised to see them do something like that. They don’t need to get into the handset selection game. I’d be shocked to see that.

Fast: What publicly traded company is Google most likely to buy?

Mahaney: I don’t think they will buy a public company. Remember, Google has bought 90 companies over the last 5 years. But YouTube, DoubleClick and their investment in AOL are the only three names that you’ve probably ever heard of. I think they continue to purchase small niche firms.

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